Avatar: Mage of All Elements-Chapter 120

«What are you doing, sweetie?» I asked Kaguya. Still at home, I relax and don't control my surroundings at all and so it was a surprise for me that she showed up.

«Why did you do that?» she asked tearfully, «Did she deserve it?»

«Eh, honey», I lightly ruffled her hair and smiled sadly. Was this how I was going to explain my actions to her? «Remember when we used to take spirit?» she nodded weakly. Still, we're not exactly normal kids, so she remembered everything: «Do you remember your rabbit? My fox or my mother's fox?» she nodded again, «That aunt made sure they could have died. Your rabbit stayed in one piece, and mom's fox, too, because they were already big», I spoke sadly, stroking her hair gently, «But my fox was too small, and when I took him in, he was too...» I hesitated, struggling to find the right word. «...tired. Do you remember the wave that came through?» she pulled away from me and looked at me with tearful eyes, but still nodded, «It could have killed my fox cub.»

«But he survived, didn't he?» she asked hopefully.

«In a way, yes», I smiled and ruffled her hair, making a real mess of her head. She smiled shyly back at me, «To protect himself, he merged with me much more than was planned. He became me. But I'll never see him again», I pulled her close again, stroking her back, «I've been angry ever since he became my family. Like mom or you. But since I'll never see him again, I was angry. That's why I did it.»

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«But why do that?» she asked sadly into my chest, «It hurt her.»

«It hurt me more», I kissed the top of her head, «Much more. So I shared that pain with her.»

«But she's going to die soon», she pulled away from me and looked into my eyes, «Why put her through that pain? It's not what she wanted.»

«Choice is an illusion we drive ourselves into», I murmured without smiling, «She wanted one thing but it turned out differently. You could say that only the strongest have true freedom.»

«Choice is an illusion», she said quietly and lay on my chest again.

«Do you want to sleep?» I asked with a smile.

«Uh-huh», she mumbled sleepily, no longer fighting her body.

I took her in my arms and opened the door with a gust of air, walked into our room and laid her on the bed, wrapping her in a blanket. When she was completely asleep, I went back to the room where Azula was waiting for me. When I walked in, she gave me an unfriendly look.

«Why did you do that?» she asked unhappily.

I walked across the room to a chair and sat down.

«She needs to get stronger», I said calmly.

«She's still a child», she almost shouted, but held herself back.

«That's why she needs motivation», I looked away, partially acknowledging the validity of her words, «She's a child now, but it'll be a few more years and she'll grow up. What are we going to do then? Watch her for decades? You know her well enough, she'll turn around and walk away, slamming the door», I said tiredly, losing all my fervor and continuing in a whisper, «She's taken the best qualities from both of us. But I won't let her go defenseless.»

«Have you thought about her?» she said tiredly, «What if she loses her childhood in training?»

I looked at her and stood up and walked over to her and just hugged her.

«I know what you mean», I pulled her closer to me, «But she won't repeat your fate, I'll make sure of that.»

«She needs a father», she said hopefully, «Someone who is an example and an ideal.»

«Eh...» I sighed heavily, realizing what she was getting at, «I'll speed up the growth», I scratched her chin with my finger to get her to look at me, «Any requests for looks?»

«Stay the same», she mumbled, blushing. I, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow in surprise.

«Are you sure?» she nodded flatly, averting her eyes, «Good», I stretched, smiling, «Then I'll be off for a while. I think a week should be enough time for me to get things done well and without repercussions.»

«Okay», she nodded slightly and cuddled up on my shoulder, falling asleep.

When she was asleep, I laid her down on the couch and brought a pillow from her room along with a blanket to cover her. Going outside quietly was not a problem, nor was going to the hospital. There's food and the right nutrients.

***

«Daddy?» Kaguya asked in shock when I came home all grown up.

«Yes, sweetie», I said as I walked over and took her in my arms.

Funny, she was the one who saw me first, not Azula. But she quickly corrected that misunderstanding by coming over and hugging us.

«And you've changed a bit», Azula murmured with a smile, pulling away and examining me.

«As well as I should have», I shrugged, making Kaguya jump a little, «Only faster.»

«Shall we eat?» muttered Azula, leading us into the kitchen and setting down a third bowl.

I don't know why, but Kaguya saw me as a father, not an adult brother. On the one hand, that's good. But on the other hand, it tells me that Kaguya's mind is also a bit confused. Just like the rest of our family.